August 29, 2006

I've missed you guys! Where have I been you ask? Well, it seems I've relocated to the south of China in a little (big really) town called Shenzhen. Tune in to hear all about bad luck, simple stringing, a super bead artist and some great podsafe music! Happy Stringing! Candie :-)

email questions and comments to the CC president: candieATcandiecooperDOTcom

These come in different sizes (i.e. #1, 2) and shapes like tubes. They correspond with the wire diameter so check your wire package for a size suggestion. If you look closely at the above wire spool picture, you can see that they recommend a #1 crimp bead or tube #2.

Basic Materials:

Beads, beads and more beads

Nylon Coated Stringing Wire

crimp beads or tubes

clasp

crimping pliers

chain nose pliers (optional)

Lay your beads out in desired pattern.

String your beads onto the wire while it's still attached to the spool. Most bracelets are 7-8 inches. Be sure to take into account your clasp length too.

Connect the clasp to end of the wire like this...

With crimping pliers, place the crimp bead in the opening with a notch (or the one closest to your hand) and clamp down. Then...

Turn the bead ninety degrees and place it in the second opening and clamp down, folding the bead over.

Slide all the beads up next to the finished end and trim the wire from the spool so that there is an approx. 2 inch tail remaining. String one crimp bead and the opposite end of the clasp onto the wire. Thread the tail back through the crimp bead and the next 2 beads.

Remove the slack between the beads. I use chain nose pliers to hold onto the main wire while I pull on the tail to snug up the loop. Take care to leave enough room in between the beads and also the loop that holds the clasp. This is so the bracelet moves freely vs. being rigid. Crimp again.

The glue gun comes with a small book of instructions and crafty ideas. Who doesn't love that!?!? I took them up on one of the projects involving found objects. I made a small jewelry making modification and voila'... Firework pins!! Simply hot glue the tie tack finding to the back of a glittery pom pom for an instant explosion! And Boy, does this thing heat up fast! 1 minute til' glue time!

This is an excellent book with clear instructions and interesting projects. If you are looking for a new technique to add to your repertoire, textiles, mixed media or all of the above; then this book is for YOU!

Listen to the podcast for all of the above details. Have a great week and thanks for stopping by!

*comments and questions to the CC secretary please; candieATcandiecooperDOTcom

May 19, 2006

I can't believe I'm finally typing this-Show number 007 is here! Back to reality: aka China, Grow Pendant: stamping text into metal, liver of sulfur patina, what's behind the cover-Hip to Bead and more, but ya gotta listen to find out... Send me an email if you are an author that would like your jewelry book featured on the show. Happy making and relaxing this weekend! :-) Candie

Send comments and Q's to candieATcandiecooperDOTcom and thanks to all of you that write! Mucho appreciated!

The following is the bare bones of this process. The podcast has the full scoop.

Supply List:

Alphabet Punch Set

Steel surface plate

Plastic or Rawhide mallet

liver of sulfur chunks

tweezers or gloves

brass brush

pumice

dish soap

Part 1-Supplies

If you have the bench pin that I do (seen in using a jeweler's saw tutorial), the steel surface with it will work fine for supporting your metal too.

Examples of the different sizes of punches.

Place your piece on the steel surface and with the letter in the correct position (not upside down-been there, done that) strike down on the punch with the mallet.

Part 2-Supplies

The small can with the tweezers on top is filled with the LOS chunks. Keep all water drips away from your can of LOS, one drop can ruin the whole can and that's a real bummer!

Make sure your piece is free of dirt and oil or else the patina won't take to the surface. Clean it with dish soap and a tooth brush. Dip the piece into the solution or leave it to obtain black. Note the chalky black appearance at this stage.

Wet your thumb and then dip it into pumice powder. Rub the pumice on the surface to remove the patina leaving the LOS in the recessed areas. Rinse when finished.

Wet the brush and add a drop of dish soap.

Burnish the patina with the brass brush. Remember when I mentioned the chalky black surface? If left like this, the patina will eventually flake off and bare metal will be exposed.

I added some small dots around the square with a center punch for fun.

May 08, 2006

Just wanted to drop you a note to let you know I started working on the new podcast yesterday. I dug out the supplies to finish the grow pendant and finding some music. It probably won't be ready until mid next week though because I have to finish my book. So anyway, I wanted you to know I haven't forgotten about you and I'll see you all real soon! Thanks!

April 12, 2006

Amsterdam adventures-Easter Jewels and X rated material...as the song says; who could ask for anything more?!?! May you all have a relaxing and safe holiday weekend and all your eggs be filled with jewelry or chocolate! Thanks always for tuning in-Candie

April 04, 2006

I wanted to say welcome to all the new visitors! AND THANKS to all of you that check this page and podcast regularly... I really appreciate it all so much!

Just a re-cap that The Candie Cast is a podcast about jewelry making using all sorts of materials. It features me talking about tutorials on metalsmithing to beading, using wood and plastics and complex to simple techniques. And then I've added links here and there to things related to jewelry such as galleries or artists. Soon there will be jewelry book and product reviews. And then at the beginning I share tid bits about living in China or adventures I'm on. The show is still in it's infant stages so I'm developing as I go on content. Basically, I am trying to create a show that has something for everyone. And this is the part where I say, please be patient with me :-) as I figure out everything. Thanks!

Secondly, What's a Podcast? A podcast is basically an audio file or MP3 that you can download and save to your computer and listen to using whatever program your computer is set up to use (i.e. Windows Media Player or RealPlayer). Podcasts have all sorts of information from crafting to traveling to Wine tasting...ANYTHING!!! And anyone can make one. And for me, Podcasting is a new way to share information about my passion: making jewelry. I can share with you my trials and errors and successes in this field, stories about where I live and how it influences the creative life. Already, I've met so many new friends from all over the world who love to make things too! And it is this that really gets me excited about podcasting and helping people to create in the comfort of their homes.

How Do I listen to the Candie Cast? Hmmmm, this question has a ton of different answers, but I will give you a couple of simple answers and if anyone else has any suggestions, please feel free to respond to this post. First off, let me say it is soooooo simple to do. Here's how I told my mom to do it...

In the show notes you will see something like "listen to this show" or "Play Weekend Special." Okay, at this point you can click on those words and it will start downloading, but the thing is, you can't tell that the computer is doing anything!!! So all of a sudden, say 30 minutes later depending on how fast your internet connection is, you will hear my voice or music start to play. You must leave the Candie Cast page up while you download it.

Another easy way to get the show is to RIGHT CLICK on "listen to this show" or "Play Weekend Special" and click on SAVE TARGET AS. Then you can carefully choose a directory on your computer where you want to save the file etc...and hit SAVE. Then later you can open the file with Windows Media Player or Real Player and play it. Or you can drag and drop it onto your MP3 player if you have one. The key is though you don't need an iPod to play a podcast-isn't life sweet?!?!?!

Lastly you can use a podcatcher-it means just how it sounds. iTunes is the podcatcher I use and I subscribe to all sorts of podcasts with it. When a new show is out, iTunes automatically gets the latest shows and downloads it for me. You have to download iTunes from http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/. They walk you through the steps and then once you have it on your computer you can go to the iTunes "Music Store." Do a search for The Candie Cast. Then it will have a little button next to the show saying Subscribe. Click on it and then it will of course ask you if "you are sure". That's up to you, but if you say yes...from here on out iTunes will download the shows for you in your own Podcasts section on the left side of the screen. How nice huh?

My Podcast feed....http://candiecast.libsyn.com/rss

Are your heads spinning yet. Mine is. This techie lingo just doesn't flow to my fingers so easily! I hope some of this helps though.

March 31, 2006

The beaded bead tutorial works! Or so I've been told by a couple of listeners! Thanks for checking it out and the kind words.

"Thanks for the inspiration and the great instructions. I found they worked best when I listened to your description while looking at the photos." -K

"Wow. I learned how to make these beaded balls from a drawn paper instruction sheet. I love your photo tutorial. You've done a wonderful job! You can make tiny ones with Swarovski 3mm bicone crystals. They are so sparkly and cute!" -S

Also check this guy's work out-it will make your head spin! He is wonderful!

March 25, 2006

Wow, how's that song go again..."what a long strange trip it's been?" Indeed it has been, but a good sort of strange. I'm in Germany and I've eaten so much cheese, chocolate and gummy bears. What a combo, but do you blame me? I'll pass on the German Chinese restaurants, thanks. The podclass for this show features a technique...beaded decodedrons?!?! My present to all you lovely beaders out there. The grow pendant had to take a back seat in the tram, but I'll get back to that as soon as I get home. Gallery hopping, podsafe music, talking to strangers, the most special cake and more... xo-Candie

ps. email me your thoughts and comments: candieATcandiecooperDOTcom

Big thanks again to all of you that emailed..keep em' coming! I don't feel nearly as lonely! :-)

I warn you these are addicting to make. They will be spilling out of your pockets, purses, drawers etc.... I warn you! Now have fun!

Materials-

30 beads of any shape and size (just be sure the hole in the bead is big enough for the cord to pass through twice)

good quality nylon cord

bit of glue

Here goes nothing:

Cut 20" of cord and double it over so the ends meet and string 5 beads onto the left end/side of the tail.

Thread the right end of the cord through the 5th bead in the opposite direction that the left tail is going-I call this a 'cross'.

Pull the two ends snug so it makes a star in the middle of your bead cluster.

String 4 beads onto the left tail.

But on the 4th bead thread the right tail through in the opposite direction that the left tail is going (I call this a cross).

Look carefully at the orientation here. At the top is the original 5 beads and in my fingers is the 4 beads. The right cord comes out and goes into the bead directly to the right of it.

This is how it should look. Notice how the cord looks like it is going through two beads side by side.

String 3 beads onto the left tail.

And cross the right tail through the 3rd bead.

And the right tail goes through the bead directly to the right of it again.

**Repeat the last three steps TWO more times so that you will have a total of 4 clusters around your central star at this point.

Now run your right tail through the two beads to the right of the bead where the right tail comes out (as seen in picture) and string 2 beads onto the left tail.

Cross the right tail through the 2nd bead and pull the two ends snug.

This completes the top half of the bead, making sort of a dome shape. Deep breath, let's push on!

The right tail goes through the bead just next to it.

String 3 beads onto the left tail.

Right tail goes through the 3rd bead, making the cross.

Now this time, the right tail goes through not one but TWO beads to the right of it!

String 2 beads on the left tail.

Right tail crosses through the second bead.

**Repeat the last the last three steps TWO more times! We're almost there!!!!

Now, do you see that tiny gap....and notice you have one bead left?

String the remaining bead on the left tail.

This is where it gets a little confusing, but I think you will understand the idea. The left tail with the bead on it goes across and through the bead on the left, then it keeps going through the remaining 3 beads in the cluster of 5. Same goes for the right tail except it goes through the right side, opposite the left. Remember that the cord should make a triangle at each bead junction and the cord must pass through each bead twice. Tie the tails in a knot where they meet up.

Trim the ends and dot the knot with some glue to secure. Yay! We made it!

Please, please, please let me know if you try to make these and the pattern has a glitch. I've checked over it, but I need a proof-reader so to speak! And also, if you make something with these, send me a picture of the finished project and I'll make a little flickr galleria so we can all enjoy each others jewels. projectsATcandiecooperDOTcom

March 08, 2006

Wow, Thanks for all the downloads and subscribing! I truly appreciate it and it does make me look forward to doing the next Candie Cast. Some exciting things to come in future shows, a new jewelry book review, stamping text into metal, I'm going to participate in a Beadalong, a visit to a far off land and more. Stay tuned! :-) Candie

P.S. I know you are all busy, but if you have a second, please drop me some feedback at candieATcandiecooperDOTcom I'm feeling a bit lonely.

See a picture of needle files here. Please understand I'm not endorsing this site/product. I just wanted to show you what to look for. I think a decent set should cost about $6. Thanks!

All can be found at your local hardware store.

Use the angled side of your bench pin to support your piece. Try not to angle your file and file on the upstroke (pushing the file away from you). Removing material on the backstroke can actually dull the teeth on your file. The teeth are what cut. I leave the paper pattern on so I can see how much metal to remove. Please note that files can be used on metals, plastics, wood, polymer clay (once baked) and so on.

Needle Files fit into small spaces.

Raw material scratches, I must sand it!

320 grit sand paper. I sand in the same direction, in this case up and down until all my lines are going the same way and I can't see any of the original random scratches.

Now it's time for 420 grit sand paper. I turn the piece and sand in the opposite direction (so it makes a cross with the 320 lines). I sand in the new direction until all the lines from the last grit (320) are gone and all I can see are the new 420 lines. Continue this pattern until you have worked your way down to 600 grit.

You can sand the edges of the piece with 320-420 sand paper to smooth them as well.